SWEAT-LODGES.
Reading edition
In the Klamath Lake Dialect by Minnie Froben. Obtained by A.S. Gatschet.
É-ukshkni lápa spú'klish gítko. Ḵúḵiuk ḵĕlekapkash spú'klishla
The lake people two (kinds of) sweat-lodges have. To weep over the deceased they build sweat-lodges
yépank käíla; stutílantko spú'klish, käíla waltchátko. Spú'klish a
digging up the ground; are roofed (these) sweat-lodges with earth covered. (Another) sweat-lodge
sha shú'ta kué-utch, kítchikan’sh stinága=shítko; skú'tash a wáldsha 3
they build of willows, a little cabin looking like; blankets they spread
spú'klishtat tataták sĕ spukliá. Tátataks a hú'nk wéas lúla, tatátaks
over the sweating-lodge when in it they sweat. Whenever children died, or when
a híshuaksh tchímĕna, snáwedsh wénuitk, ḵú'ḵi ḵĕlekátko, spú'klitcha
a husband became widower, (or) the wife (is) widowed, they weep for cause of death go sweating
túmi shashámoks=lólatko; túnepni waítash tchík sa hú'uk spú'klia. 6
many relatives who have lost five days then they sweat.
Shiúlakiank a sha ktái húyuka skoilakuápkuk; hútoks ktái ḵá-i tatá
Gathering they stones (they) heat (them) to heap them up (after use); those stones never
spukliú't’huīsh. Spúklish lúpĭa húyuka; ḵélpka a át, ílhiat átui,
having been used for sweating. Sweat lodge in front of they heat (them); heated (being) when, they bring (them) inside at once,
ḵídshna ai î ámbu, kliulála. Spú'kli a sha túmĕni "hours"; ḵélpkuk 9
pour on them water, sprinkle. Sweat then they several hours; being quite warmed up
géka shualkóltchuk péniak ḵō'ḵs pépe-udshak éwagatat, ḵóḵetat, é-ush
they leave (and) to cool themselves off without dress only to go bathing in a spring, river, lake
wigáta. Spukli-uápka mā'ntch. Shpótuok i-akéwa kápka, skú'tawia
close by. They will sweat for long hours. To make themselves strong they bend down young pine-trees (they) tie together
sha wéwakag knú'kstga. Ndshiétchatka knú'ks a sha shúshata. 12
they small brushwood with ropes. Of (willow-)bark the ropes they make.
Gátpampĕlank shkoshkî'lχa ktáktiag hú'shkankok ḵĕlekápkash, ktá-i
On going home they heap up into cairns small stones in remembrance of the dead, stones
shúshuankaptcha î'hiank.
of equal size selecting.
NOTES.
No Klamath or Modoc sweat-lodge can be properly called a sweat-house, as is the custom throughout the West. One kind of these lodges, intended for the use of mourners only, are solid structures, almost underground; three of them are now in existence, all believed to be the gift of the principal national deity. Sudatories of the other kind are found near every Indian lodge, and consist of a few willow-rods stuck into the ground, both ends being bent over. The process gone through while sweating is the same in both kinds of lodges, with the only difference as to time. The ceremonies mentioned 4-13. all refer to sweating in the mourners' sweat-lodges. The sudatories of the Oregonians have no analogy with the estufas of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, as far as their construction is concerned.
586, 1. lápa spú'klish, two sweat-lodges, stands for two kinds of sweat-lodges.
586, 5. shashámoks=lólatko forms one compound word: one who, or: those who have lost relatives by death; cf. ptísh=lúlsh, pgísh=lúlsh; hishuákga ptísh=lúlatk, male orphan whose father has died. In the same manner, ḵĕlekátko stands here as a participle referring simultaneously to híshuaksh and to snáwedsh wénuitk, and can be rendered by "bereaved". Shashámoks, distr. form of shá-amoks, is often pronounced sheshámaks. Túmi etc. means, that many others accompany to the sweat-lodge, into which about six persons can crowd themselves, bereaved husbands, wives or parents, because the deceased were related to them.
586, 7. Shiúlakiank etc. For developing steam the natives collect only such stones for heating as are neither too large nor too small; a medium size seeming most appropriate for concentrating the largest amount of heat. The old sweat-lodges are surrounded with large accumulations of stones which, to judge from their blackened exterior, have served the purpose of generating steam; they weigh not over 3 to 5 pounds in the average, and in the vicinity travelers discover many small cairns, not over four feet high, and others lying in ruins. The shrubbery around the sudatory is in many localities tied up with willow wisps and ropes.
586, 11. Spukli-uápka mā'ntch means that the sweating-process is repeated many times during the five days of observance; they sweat at least twice a day.